The UN World Food Program (WFP) on Wednesday launched a new humanitarian response network, with strategic hubs in Africa, Europe, Middle East, Asia and Latin America, to respond to magnitude and growing number of emergencies in recent years.

The network, which was launched in Nairobi at the ongoing Humanitarian Development Summit, is designed to meet the escalating challenges of sudden humanitarian emergencies which can sometimes strike almost simultaneously.

"With the growing number of natural disasters, aid agencies must be better prepared and better equipped to reach affected populations, as quickly as possible," said Ramiro Lopes da Silva, director of WFP's Transport and Procurement Division.

Addressing participants in Nairobi, Giuseppe Saba, coordinator of UN Humanitarian Response Depot (UNHRD), said "Modeled on the UN Humanitarian Response Depot in Brindisi in southern Italy, each emergency hub will stock strategic supplies of relief goods and equipment, ready for transport within 24-48 hours by air and sea."

The UNHRD is a new network composed of humanitarian response depots in Accra, Dubai, Panama, Malaysia and Brindisi.

Established in June 2000 and managed by the WFP, the Brindisi base has provided critical support to UN agencies, governments, and NGOs during crises such as the Indian Ocean tsunami and the recent Lebanon crisis.

"By positioning critical supplies around the globe, there is no doubt that we will be able to help people more rapidly and more effectively -- very possibly, making the difference between life and death," he said.

Saba said financial and in-kind support to the new network is coming from a variety of governments and institutions, including NGOs such as the Swedish Rescue and Response Agency and Solidarity, a Greek NGO.

The ongoing summit aims at tackling global concerns for humanitarian relief and what is required from emerging and developing countries to address issues affecting their economic development.

The summit also hopes to consolidate the work already done across the developing world into a comprehensive strategy to deliver a focused and consistent message.

Source: Xinhua